I've been learning Japanese on my own for some time and only started making significant progress thanks to my iphone.i can look up words, learn new expressions anytime anywhere, even the most すし詰め train in tokyo.

It would be great to hear from other iphone users what their best application for learning Japanese is. More specifically to prepare for the JLPT1. (I got the JLPT2 and most of the apps i've seen are meant for beginner or intermediate levels).

From my experience, i'd recommend the dictionary "Japanese" (日本語 written on a red background). it's really a good value and quite comprehensive, the kanji. Then for the French speakers able to read at least about 800 kanjis, there's the Petit Royal (プチ・ロワイヤル), a marvel! it's 6000en, but you have all the idioms and natural expressions you need in it!

Note: don't forget to install the Chinese keyboard on your iPhone, it will allow you to look up kanji by simply drawing them with your finger! A true breakthrough.

I've bought an iPod touch specifically as a study tool for practising/learning Japanese. Now I'm pretty much an absolute beginner compared to most here, but I thought it might be of some use to others to list the apps I have and what I think of them so far, just in case you haven't heard of them... If there are really good ones I haven't mentioned, I'd be happy to hear it.

- Japanese by codefromtokyo (as mentioned by Olivier). Brilliant app, especially the ability to handwrite Kanji I don't know. How else can you look up a Kanji you can't read and misjudging the stroke order by one in either dirction doesn't help lookup. My only problem is it often does not recognize very simple Kanji that it does have in its system. Any idea why? Even after looking them up in other sources and writing them in the correct stroke order.

- Kana Flip by Andre Khromov. After reading 'Remembering the Kana', I uses this to really get them all sunk into my memory. It is an SRS-style Flashcard program, looks attractive, works very well. Downside, it will only show the kana and let you guess the 'romaji', not the other way round. Oh and the first time you use it it starts with a random set so you get hammered with the 'combined' kane (oh, you know what i mean...) from the start, that can be a bit disheartening...

- Kanji Flip by Andre Khromov. Same as above but, you guessed it, for Kanji, divided into JLPT1-4 sections and you can add your own. Has a built in Kana quiz too, which is basically 'Kanji Flip' set to 'practise all kana'.

- Japanese Flip by Andre Khromov. Again the same, but vocabulary for JLPT 1-4, with toggle-able (is that even a word?) furigana. Sadly no example sentences...

- J Phrases by thejapanesepage.com. Ah, just realised it is from... here I like te fact that it has sound and the 'fun' categories to break up the study.

- Human Japanese by Brak Software Haven't worked my way completely through it but am liking the easy going approach, starting by explaining how Japanese works, then Kana, then gradually adding numbers, grammar. Again, the good bit is sounds, especially the 'generate a random large number and have it spoken to you and try to type the correct number in a calculator window quiz' thingy. One thing I must say, every now and then I come across bits that for some reason just seem plain wrong to me but I'm not good or clever enough to find out if and why...

- Katsuyo by Mobillis Solutions, Inc. I'd be lying if I said I use it but for now it looks useful, can anyone confirm? It is a verb-conjugation wheel of fortune. Without the prizes.

And I've just found out that on the Japanese version of the iTunes store you can get the complete Kojien 6th（広辞苑 第六版）as an iPod/iPhone app. It ain't cheap and you have to be nifty to get your hands on it outside Japane, but am I right in thinking that having that on your Ipod makes just as good/useful as a dedicated electronic dictionary? Again, opinions very welcome, especially considering the price.

Ok, that should do for a 2nd post...Hope it is useful for someone. (edited for some missed typos)

The programs I use the most for japanese learning is ankimini and smart.fm with the core6000 decks. The smart.fm application does crash from time to time, but it is nice for killing time on my way to work. For serious study I use anki/anknimini with home made decks. I also use the dictionary Kotoba.

the app i use most lately is iKanji, though i know there are at least one or two other apps out there that do the same thing, and maybe even do it better.

i want kenkyuusha's green goddess dictionary and genius; there are 2 bundles, one highlighting kenkyuusha, the other highlighting genius, but both bundles are supposed to have the same dictionaries and both cost an arm and a leg.

In addition to the wonderful apps listed in the posts above, I have a few more I find very useful:

Japanese LS Touch, Kanji LS Touch and Kana LS Touch by Jan Bogner are all handwriting practice. For me, part of what helps me learn is re-creating images. It's not that I'm expecting to do a lot of Japanese handwriting, but making the effort to handwrite helps burn images/sounds into my brain. Additionally, these apps give offer a multitude of practice, set (Grade Levels, JLPT Levels, make-your-own set and more) and testing options, all using the Leitner system. Sadly, I do not think there is a Lite or Trial version -- you have to take the plunge, but there is an excellent demo/guide on the developer's website.

Japanese Sensei Deluxe by Cole Zhu isn't strong (in my opinion) on the actual studying aspect but does offer a lot of testing opportunities. I can quiz myself on strictly audio (hear word, pick English meaning); see kanji, pick the kana equivalent; see kana, pick the kanji equivalent; match game, concentration-style game (flip the tiles to get matches) and more. There is a Lite version to try before you buy.

And, of course, I'll give another thumbs-up to Beginning Japanese Words and Phrases and to JLPT N5, both from our friends here at The Japanese Page. Well done!

After trying several Japanese language apps, the three below are the ones I've found the most useful.

(1) JapaneseWell worth the $15.99 cost. It is a great dictionary that allows you to search from within definitions of other words you have looked up. Gives you example sentences, breakdown of kanji in a word, popular compounds, conjugations, can make vocabulary lists, etc. A great product that I highly recommend.

(2) WakaruThis is a great app that allows you to read Japanese webpages. It is a web browser with a built in Japanese/English dictionary that allows you to highlight a word that you can lookup in the dictionary. Can also create study lists from the webpages you view. For only $1.99 this is a steal.

(3) Japanese Sensei DeluxeThis is a great app for learning vocabulary which seems to be my limiting factor in listening comprehension. I know enough grammar, but get frustrated on not knowing what a particular word means that I hear. Have various review and study methods (word quiz, sentence tester, particle quiz, memory test, word match). Comes loaded with 10,000 of the most frequently used words in Japanese. Also has built in audio that pronounces the words and example sentences. The word quiz will also say a word in Japanese that you have to choose from the list. Definitely worth the $15.99 I paid.

(4) World BibleIf you are interested in reading the Bible in Japanese, this has the Shinkaiyaku translation. I find this translation easier to read than the older Kougouyaku translation that some other Bible apps come with. Also comes with the popular NIV English translation as well as others. Well worth the $4.99 price.

I've bought a number of Japanese apps for the iphone, but I'll stick my head out there and say you only need two.

1) Kotoba! - How is this free!? Its a brilliant dictionary, with kanji easy to find, and you can star words or example sentences so you can look at them later or send them to yourself for further study, maybe even in...

2) AnkiMobile - I'd never have gotten to the level of Japanese I'm at in the time I have without Anki. I felt I owed the maker a debt of gratitude (and money) so I shelled out the £15 of AnkiMobile (expensive I know). iAnki does the job for free, but AnkiMobile is better- syncing is easier, and you can add pretty graphics! (See my example below)

This is a fun game that associates each kana with a word -- the equivalent of English "A is for apple, B is for boy, ...". It includes audio pronunciations. The animations are a nice touch, and the backgrounds are beautiful Hiroshige prints. More info at http://kanawords.com/

Kana Strokes

Stroke order animations -- simple but useful. (This app is the one by James Yopp, not the similar sounding "Kanastroke" app.)

Hi,I am learning Japanese from scratch entirely through my iphone because with a toddler to contain, it is the only thing I can carry everywhere and pick up quickly for 2-minutes when I get some spare moments, like my boys nap time.

I am using a learning tool called istart Japanese - lessons that teach about 5 words a daySomething called Kana practice - allows me to draw kana and tells me if they are correct and I can select the ones I want to be tested on, so I only get tested on the 10 I know so far instead of all 90 odd.And Kanji LS - which has lots of kanji to a recognised grade level, nice to have but I'm not using it daily yet, I want to get the kana in my head first.

I am looking for a simple Q&A tool so I can type in the daily 5 or so words and their translations in english to support a quick 'test me' so I keep them fresh. It is hard to learn anything more complex than this because really I am supposed to be a Mum (as my 2-yr old keeps reminding me). But its going well so far and I like Japanese as a language.

Anyway, any suggestions would be welcomed. I am a true beginner and I'm not looking for more specific japanese tools, just a simple Q&A facility for the iphone.

I absolutely love kotoba/imiwa. It's now in the first screen of my iPhone I might also get Wakaru. It sounds like an iPhone version of the Rikai plugin for Chrome. For SRS, I use Brainscape/Flashcardlet -- same as the Anki I have on my Android phone.

I will really need to check these out! I can't believe I missed these on my first time to post in this thread. So Wakaru functions like Rikaichan. Sweet And reading the Bible in Japanese would be helpful since I already read it in English. Thanks for the suggestions!

berean_315 wrote:After trying several Japanese language apps, the three below are the ones I've found the most useful. (2) WakaruThis is a great app that allows you to read Japanese webpages. It is a web browser with a built in Japanese/English dictionary that allows you to highlight a word that you can lookup in the dictionary. Can also create study lists from the webpages you view. For only $1.99 this is a steal.(4) World BibleIf you are interested in reading the Bible in Japanese, this has the Shinkaiyaku translation. I find this translation easier to read than the older Kougouyaku translation that some other Bible apps come with. Also comes with the popular NIV English translation as well as others. Well worth the $4.99 price.